The upcoming conference titled “Adapting to a Changing World” run by GE multinationals Monsanto and DuPont has sparked intense debate throughout Aotearoa and Māori communities. Te Waka Kai Ora (the National Māori Organics Authority Aotearoa) takes a strong stand against Genetic Modification and the insidious campaigns by such multinationals to push their agenda on indigenous communities. Te Waka Kai Ora act as the facilitators for Hua Parakore maara kai (pure food growing), using a tikanga based verification system which encourages the use of GE-free, nano-free, pesticide and chemical-free production methods, while enhancing their whanau and community aspirations.

Now is the time to influence what the Northland Regional Council does for the next 10 years – with our ratepayer $$$. NRC is currently asking for your feedback on our Draft Long Term Plan- don't miss out!

In addition to any other environmental concerns you may have (protection of Northland public and conservation lands from mining and so forth, how to better protect Northland freshwater lakes and rivers), it is important that Northlanders let the NRC know that the very short (and rather weak) precautionary GE policy written in the NRC draft LTCP needs strengthening.

Whangarei District Council has an excellent, strong precautionary GE policy in its draft LTCCP 2012/22- NRC needs to lift its game!

NRC NEEDS TO DO MORE TO SUPPORT NORTHLAND TERRITORIAL AUTHORITIES AND THE AUCKLAND COUNCIL IN KEEPING RISKY GMOs OUT OF THE REGION

GE Free Northland are pleased by the NRC decision yesterday to reaffirm its own precautionary GE policy and to appoint NRC Chairman Craig Brown to represent the council on the Inter Council Working Party on Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs).

"We are concerned, however, that the NRC failed to vote to contribute funds towards the collaborative section 32 analysis on GMOs that all Northland territorial authorities and Auckland Council are undertaking," said Martin Robinson, GE Free Northland spokesperson.

There is sustained concern in Northland and other parts of New Zealand, about genetic engineering (GE) experiments and releases in this country, particularly in view of the documented adverse impacts of GMOs overseas and inadequately contained GE experiments in NZ.

“Nonetheless, central government continues to ignore local community and independent scientists concerns about GMOs,” said Mr. Robinson.

"Therefore, the NRC needs to put its shoulder to the wheel and support its territorial authorities and Auckland Council and contribute funding to the important current work programme of the ICWP on GMOs".

"The NRC is supposed to be the over arching environmental protection authority for the region. In addition, NRC contributing funds would be a fiscally prudent move- as by doing the work collaboratively, councils can share costs and staff expertise".

NRC Chairman Craig Brown responds:

"Having been involved in the process of investigating the risks of GMOs for well over 10 years, I am disappointed that my council did not

NORTHLAND LOCAL AUTHORITIES AND AUCKLAND COUNCIL COLLABORATIVELY INVESTIGATE LOCAL GMO CONTROLS

GE Free Northland are delighted by the recent news that Kaipara District Council voted to join Auckland Council “super city”, Far North District Council to collaborate with Whangarei District Council in the investigation of some type local regulation of Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs).

KDC Mayor Neil Tiller is the new Kaipara District Council representative on the Auckland/Northland "Inter Council Working Party on GMO Risk Evaluation & Management Options".

At least four councils are now set to investigate a plan change and section 32 analysis of GMOs, because of the risks to our biosecurity, environment, economy, and the livelihoods of existing non -GM primary producers.

Northland Regional Council will vote on Tuesday l5 November 2011, whether NRC will join in this important work, in keeping with their official precautionary GE policies.

There is sustained concern in Northland and other parts of New Zealand, about genetic engineering (GE) experiments and releases in this country, particularly in view of the documented adverse impacts of GMOs overseas.

“Nonetheless, central government continues to ignore local community and independent scientists concerns about GMOs,” said Martin Robinson, GE Free Northland spokesperson.

"Therefore, the NRC needs to put its shoulder to the wheel and support its territorial authorities and Auckland Council and contribute funding to the important current work programme of the ICWP on GMOs".

Northland local authorities and Auckland Council collaboratively investigate local GMO controls

GE Free Northland are delighted by the news that the Auckland Council “super city” and Far North District Council have made a commitment to collaborate with Whangarei District Council in the investigation of some type of regulation of Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs).

At least three councils are now set to investigate a plan change and section 32 analysis of GMOs, because of the risks to our biosecurity, environment

Proposals for extending animal feeding studies for GE wheat to humans are unethical and signal the need for an urgent overhaul of the science used by regulators to approve scores of GM foods.

A group of international scientists has warned the developers of a GE-Wheat at the CSIRO in Australia against the proposals. There is an acute ethical issue in the lack of long-term feeding studies in animals, which in some cases show complex and inter-generational harm from the GE food tested of which none of the GM foods approved by Food Authorities have undergone human studies.

Research has recently been published by Professor Peter Gluckman - the New Zealand government's chief scientific advisor - which reveals the complex epigenetic effects relating to maternal diet. The effects continue to the next generation in a way that is not yet understood. This complexity is simply not considered or addressed in safety testing of GE food.

The GE-Wheat been not been adequately tested in animals to even be considered as a candidate for human feeding studies.

Whangarei District Council moves to protect its community from Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs)

Whangarei District Councillors have voted unanimously to reject the outdoor use of genetically engineered (GE) crops and animals in the District. Whangarei District Council will now (in addition to its own District Plan change to prevent GMO land use) actively seek to undertake a collaborative plan change with all Northland councils and Auckland Council to keep GMOs out of the wider region.

Whangarei District Council (WDC) has taken a leadership position on the controversial issue of genetic engineering. Councillors voted unanimously today at their Environment Committee Meeting to investigate regulating genetically modified organisms (GMOs) through the District Plan in conjunction with other councils in Northland and Auckland. The regulation would most likely take the form of prohibiting releases of GMOs to the environment and requiring resource consents for GE trials undertaken in Northland and Auckland.

SECRET GE PINE EXPERIMENTS AT ROTORUA SITE A THREAT TO NZ'S BIOSECURITY AND FORESTRY

GE Free Northland shares the concerns expressed by many New Zealanders about ERMA’s recent approval of Scion’s GE pine application for 4,000 GE pines, at secret sites at the Scion Rotorua property.

The Scion application contains information that is misleading and inaccurate. Implementation of this field trial would expose the country's economy and environment to serious risks.

Previous GE field trials by NZ Crown Research Institutes have been found to be in breach of the conditions of approval by ERMA. Given that Scion (despite public opposition) has used public funding for this risky GE experiment, it is even more important to know where GE trials are being conducted, to keep the inspectors and trial operators honest.

"GE pine pollen travels long distances and cannot be constrained to one known site, but the public must at least know where this site is, in order for them to be informed of risks and to be able to keep an eye on the GE trees."

"How are 4,000 trees going to be monitored in safety when previously 70 GE trees could not be properly looked after by Scion?" asked Martin Robinson, spokesperson for GE Free NZ (Northland).

An example of misleading information from Scion is their claim that pine pollen only disperses for 300 metres. However, a number of recent scientific publications have reported viable pine pollen spreading up to 60 kilometres.

Research published last year showed that pine pollen travels up to 41 kms in as little as 3 hours in moderate winds. At higher wind speeds pollen can travel this distance in 45 minutes, reaching altitudes of 610 metres.